Fantasy ~ FableWood ~

[SilverFlight]

Ward changed to his human form, resting a gentle hand on Elena's shoulder. He summoned his healing magic to repair her arms.


"I'll never get out of practice with you around." He smiled, but there was concern behind the gesture, he knew there was still something plaguing her.


"Take as much time as you need." He said softly before rising to follow the others down off the ship.


When Garnet spoke Ward walked to the front of the group, transforming into a gryphon once more and bowing low, spreading his wings wide so they brushed the stone beneath him.


"Most humble greetings, Garnet, elder dragon of the Ethreal Mountains. I am Ward, emissary of Princess Briar of Branbern and Guardian to the heroes of FableWood."


He began formally. "It is an honor to be admitted into the presence of your notable council...I have a deep respect for your traditions and your culture, revered elder...but dark times have befallen all in our land. I fear the union of our efforts will be the only thing to stand against it."


He stood and regarded the dragon elder with fierce golden eyes. "I would be most honoured if you would accept our aid."


@andujarprime @Hel

 

[zCrookedz]

Leo kept looking around at the different types of structures built into the mountian as he stepped off the boat and on to solid ground. He felt much better with the solid mass beneath his feat without fear of plummeting to the earth, but the barrenness of the mountian might be a problem should he run out of juice. He watched the elders circle and land and then the elder dragon that had spoken on the boat. Leo stood at attention as he listened to the great dragon begin to speak and then felt something brush past his leg. He looked down and saw Luness appraoching the elder at an alrming speed. Leos eye widdened as she began to rant and he looked to the others before sighing heavily. His brow furrowed in displeasure he walked up behind Luness keeping his head bowed to the great dragon. With a quick motion of his bare hand Leo reached out and seized the scruff of Luness's neck and lifted her off the ground. Keeping his head bowed and eye low to the great dragon Leo spoke clearly and apologeticly "My Lord, please excuss my dear friend. We have traveled far and are very weary. Some of us let our tempers get the better of us when we are close to exhaustion." He gave Luness a sideways glance, but kept his head bowed to the great dragon. He backed away very slowly, continuing to hold luness a few inches from the ground until they were standing at the back of the group. He looked to Luness and whispered as to not interupt the dragon anymore "I am going to set you down now. I apologize for that with ever fiber in my being, but I would rather suffer your warth than watch you get torn to shreds by A DRAGON" Slowy he lowered her the fuew inches she had been hoovering until her feet touched solid ground, and he released the back of her neck. He kept his oposite hand on the pommel of his ax just incase he would have to subdue any agression she might have towards him.


@Lioness075

 

[Bea Delaine]

Elena watched as Ward did what he could for her, and she moved her arms with some level of appreciation. For a second though, looking down at her hands she saw the pale and floating limp hands. She flinched and looked back up at Ward, though the wounds healed she felt just as off as before... Like the day that she was planning to jump. It was strange to feel again.


Elena gave him a small smile and stood up again.


"Sorry, you won't have to anymore. I'll take care of anything else. I'm fine."


She said quietly and she followed meekly behind, eyeing the new strangers and dragons silently.

 

[Lioness075]

Luness still felt angry after Garnet explained himself, which only infuriarated her further that he spoke calmly.


Snarling, Luness was about to say something else when someone came out of no where and grabbed her by the scruff of her neck, effectively making her go limp while dangling from their grip.


Surprised, Luness didn't say anything right away, even more so surprised that someone had actually picked her up like she was nothing more than a mere child throwing a tantrum.


When Leo spoke, Luness began to get angry again, but kept her mouth shut until he went to the back of the group and then set her down gently.


Despite his apology, Luness was infuriarated by Leo's actions and spat out, "What the hell was that, Leo?"


Narrowing her eyes, Luness hissed at Leo and then quickly added, "Don't ever do that again!"


Still upset by Leo's actions and Garnet's unwelcome intrusion of her mind, Luness felt a strong desire to take her anger out on something, but refused to hit Leo after everything they'd been through together.


Turning her back to Leo, Luness then tightly clenched her fists at her sides, forcing herself not to punch anything sinc eshe was surrounded mostly by stone and would most likely break a bone if she actually punched anything.


@zCrookedz @Hel

 

[DawnAntalios]

Until now Nyr stood silently beside Leo and the others as they spoke and watched the scene between Luness and Garnet then between Leo and the werecat. Even though she wanted to back up Leo she knew how much Luness has hated when someone touched her or invaded her mind so she could not dismiss that fact. Not having too much for the elder dragons herself she decided to speak up finally.


Stepping forward the white raven spoke.


" I know how hard it must be to accept outsider aid but times have changed. The peaceful FableWood we have all known is now gone, and so long as the darkness threatens to envelop the land all of us are in danger. " she walked to Garnet and looked in his old eyes " The time for pride is over. If we are to stand a chance then we must stand together, or else you will share the same fate as my race did. "

 

[zCrookedz]

Leo bowed his hed to Luness, he knew he had crossed a line with her. But he was not sorry for what he did. He would not be able to live with himself if he had sat by and let her get hurt by upset dragons. "As you wish my friend. Just promise you wont let your anger get the better of you while your here. If not for me, than for those who care for you." Leo did not want to over speak, he had already crossed enough bounderies for one day. He looked to the group and spied Kallin amungst them and then watched as Nyr made her way to the front. He listened to her words and smiled, she was speaking such truth in such a tense situation. He felt a bit of pride for the girl, and continued on watching as the counclle spoke with them.


@Lioness075

 

[Hel]

Garnet nodded and watched the lion man take the werecat away as Ward spoke to him. Then the dread raven. What they said was true enough, and the outsiders had already seen the secret they'd been desperate to keep. The whole time that the others spoke out to the elders, the ancient dragons also convened in their own minds. Arguing back and forth about the group's merits and downfalls. Determining their trustworthiness. Those who cared to, and who were able, could listen in on the mental conversation.


"What you say is true enough, but what can you all offer that our own cannot do? You've healers- so do we. You've trackers- we have our own as well. One who communes with the spirits? That is what our priests are for. Caretakers? Fighters? Magic? We have all of these things. What makes you believe that you all will succeed where our kind, this far, has failed?" Granite asked. The question was not his own, but the councils'. He did not feel further explination or justification was needed for Luness, and the lion-man appeared to have the troubled kitten taken care of.


Anya shifted to answer, but realized as she did that a council of large lizards with elemental abilities were more than intimidating, and while she did not fancy herself a coward, she was not confident enough in her answer to challenge them and welcome their gaze on her. She felt as though this was like the tests in the cavern back on Elena's birthday, and she was failing again.

 

[SilverFlight]

"They have us." Leia stepped forward, Tad and Lee floating just above her shoulders as she spoke. She held Garnet's gaze confidently. Much more so than she actually felt...but if they were going to get this done, and get to the witch Caraboss, then they needed the dragons' trust.


Leia pointed to Anya and continued in a voice filled with pride. "There isn't a tracker in all of FableWood that can rival her abilities. And Elena could best any of your warriors in combat. I know we don't look like much, but we're from the real world. We've come to help FableWood, and that means going wherever we're needed."


She crossed her arms and glanced at him sideways. "But if you're concerned about face, then let me put it like this: we believe the enchantress we're tracking is involved with your problem. Let us help, and we get something in return; more clues to help end Caraboss' influence."


Her face grew serious for a moment: "You think the dragons she takes are just going to plague your home? She'll send them everywhere. If we don't help you now...soon all of FableWood will know you failed."


She went silent after that...perhaps that was too much...the last thing she wanted to do was anger the dragons, but if this was about pride, then the sooner the issue was solved, the more face they'd save.


Kallin payed attention as Leia spoke, he nodded in reluctant approval. The princess had guts.


Ward noted Elena's discomfort and shifted back as Leia stood forward. He moved closer to Elena, pressing his feathered side against her shoulder.

 

[Bea Delaine]

Elena let her thoughts break up when she heard Leia stand up to Garnet. She chuckled inwardly, as Leia voiced her thoughts eloquently and with more confidence than she could to a dragon. Ward approached and nudged her, an evident attempt of comforting her. She looked at the floor for a moment and returned her gaze to Leia.


"You know.. she makes a great negotiator. Im really impressed, I almost believe her."


She said with a very slight joking tone. She eyed her surroundings and sighed as the humor disappeared. It was still most likely hopeless, if a dragon couldnt win. She felt the need to hit something, or train.

 

[Flutterby]

Quincy gazed at everything her around her, desperately trying to absorb all of it, to keep in her mind and apply to her understanding of Alexander. It was a magnificent place, for some reason more comforting than Branburn, despite the lack of water so far. Probably just the connection to her dragon. As they walked into the council, she could catch snippets of the mental communication between the dragons. It wasnt anything she didnt expect, just debate on whether to accept them or not. Garnet voiced their concerns, and Leia answered him rather eloquently. The kelpie herself was too absorbed in the dragons and everything around her to speak herself. Ive never seen anything like this. Even though the circumstances are so terrible, I feel so blessed to be here. She thought, then wondered if the dragons could hear her thoughts as easily as Alexander, or even easier, and if she should try to close her mind.

 

[Lioness075]

Luness took a deep breath and then let it out in a large sigh before turning back to face Leo once more.


Still frowning and with her arms crossed over her chest, Luness then said in an even tone, "Fine. As long as none of those dragons get in my head again. I don't care if they can't speak to me while they're in their dragon forms. Someone else can relay to me what they're saying."


Narrowing her eyes, Luness then added for emphasis, "Nobody else is getting in my head while I'm here."


She then shifted her gaze from Leo back to Leia, as she listened to the last bit of Leia's speech.


She did have a point after all. They had humans with them, though Luness wasn't exactly sure how big of a difference that'd make.


Looking at Garnet now, Luness waited to hear his response to his new tidbit of information. After all, it was ultimately his call to make if the group stayed or if they had to go.


@zCrookedz

 

[Hel]

There was a moment of silence as the elders debated the point she had made, however it seemed no other convincing would be needed. Garnet sighed deeply and apoke again. "It seems you have already seen the dark ones anyway, so we might as well accept your help. With what you say, a trade for information does seem fair enough. So here's the information I can offer you: the dragons you faced earlier were not in their right minds. They are the sixth type of dragon — a dragon of darkness. These don't occur naturally and we've kept their existence as a myth for many years. They're born from any other type of dragon's mental instability, created from madness. Ever since the eggs went missing, more and more of these dark dragons have appeared. Whoever is taking them is also torturing them or otherwise bending their wills. The ones you faced before were some of the missing children." He took a deep breath his eyes were weary and watery- one might think the old man was about to cry. "Whatever they are planning, they intend to hold dragons in their army- and those who don't comply are drivin mad then set loose. There is one clan yet whose eggs remain. You should venture that way, and see if you can catch the theives in the act. If you need any other information, feel free to ask. Do not think your help will go unrewarded, either. If you are successfull, you will have our thanks, and we will be in your debt." He finished, looking at the heroes. The other elders had been watching the group as he spoke. "If you would like, you may rest here, but we would suggest haste- there's very few clans left who have not had their young taken.


Alexander took Quincy's hand as the old dragon spoke, he was glad the human had spoken up in their own defense.


Any, too, was thankful Leia said what she had been thinking.

 

[SkywardSocks]

Achyls had not listened to much of the conversation, though certain words and phrases she caught vaguely. She had backed away from the group upon seeing the dragons towering over them, and wandered to a clearing of long grass swaying in the breeze, sun glinting away at the morning dew. Her wings flattened a patch as she sat, playing with the strands of green rising from the ground. All around her, dragons stared inquisitively, as if analysing her movement, her body language, appearance. She curled up upon realising this, almost hiding in the length of grass surrounding her. Her mind was buzzing from the earlier fight, as if receiving the right kind of feeling in her body and soul. She thought of when the next challenge would be faced, running over scenarios in her head, beasts she may have to slay. The thoughts imprinted a dark smile on her lips, and a strange giddiness in her chest.

 

[zCrookedz]

Leo listend to the werecat as she made her proclomations and seemed to calm herself a bit. He continued to watch the elders as he spoke quietly to her "While we are here we may not have a choice. I do not wish for any of these dragons to probe my mind whilst Lilly resides within me, however if i do not submit they may think i am hostile and things could get very bad. They are not doing it out of malice, they are doing it out of tradition and even more so out of their own safty." He gave her a sidways glance and shrugged his massive shoulders "Atleast that is what i believe." He stopped and listend to Leia speak. She spoke every little bit of the truth. The dragons may not need the help of those who were also from Fablewood, but they would need the help of the humans. All of Fablewood needed their help. Once Leia had spoken and the elder dragon began to fill them in on the situation, Leo began to ponder the dark dragons and their use to Caraboss. It would not be to farfetched to asume that they were nothing more than an attempt to bolster her army with strong forces. However she could do the same with Ogre's and Giants. But dragons had brains that Ogre's and giants did not, which made them much more dangerous. Leo took a few steps forward and raised his head to the elder dragon with a quizing look on his face "I dont supose you or your scouts have any ideas where the Dark Dragons are using as a base of operations do you? The size that attacked us would not be so easy to hide in the mountians I would think, they might have a cave or ravean they are held up in." Leo felt the question was a valid one, however the information on the clan that had not been hit was an excelent place for them to start.


@Hel @Lioness075

 

[andujarprime]

Garnet looked to the lion man and shook his head slightly. "The dark brood do not travel organized, mostly as a mindless raving entity. Sometimes there might be an older one In charge, bjt not usually." Malachai nodded his appreciation at the elders and turned to face the group. "Let's have everyone looked at by the healers while we plan our next approach. Once we have everyone well rested and the location of the next clan we will set out. Provided the ship is ready to set off again." He suggested as he began ushering everyone out of the room. The elder's suggestion of haste was more as a warning in the eyes of Malachai and the other dragons. Things were gong to become uneasy if outsiders stayed too long in the private quarters of dragons and their treasure. The elder nodded then held up a hand. "Haaragelt," He called to Malachai in the ancient tongue. " The location should be known to you, it is your home. Far south to the Spine of the world. I believe if your memory has returned then you will know where I mean. Otherwise your brother or my daughter can show you the way." Malachai froze at the thought of visiting home. He was uneasy the reception he would receive after not having seen his brood since the attack. Would they remember him? Would they recognize him? His own brother hadn't, how could anyone else? Trembling he turned to the elder and bowed. "Thank you honored elder, it pleases me to know they have not suffered this cruelty" He said as he stood back up walking everyone out of the council chambers. He stood there looking visibly shaken, he slowly made his way back outside to a sunny area and just poked up out at the sky. He was only barely aware there was someone there. Sitting in the grass several feet away.


@SkywardSocks @everyone else


Sent from my SM-G925V using Tapatalk

 

[DawnAntalios]

Nyr folded her arms together as she had an idea in her mind. She however quickly dismissed the thought of sharing this with the dragons, so she just looked at Leo for a moment then left the room. She was too buried in her thoughts to talk to anyone else. If the dragons needed to fight the dark ones she needed to find something she could analyze, something that would provide them greater understanding of the power they were facing.


It was then when she returned near to the ship when she had found something peculiar. A black dragon scale laid on the ground, perfectly intact and in a good condition. She assumed that it was from one of the dragons that attacked them on the ship... but this scale might tell them more about their assailants. With haste she had found a secluded place and immediately tried to cast divination and other spellcraft upon the strange item. It shifted around, emitting a strange, dark magic.


She pushed on.

 

[SkywardSocks]

Achyls perked her ears as a sound of rustling grew behind her. Turning, she noticed Malachai stood a few paces from her.


"Fair dragon," she said, gesturing for him to sit by her, "You are wary...of what cause?". She sounded unlike herself, but felt a deep care for the dragon and his plight with his own kind. She waited for him to sit before continuing to speak. After all, she had no need for talking if the situation did not call for it. With any other member of the group she may have blanked them out completely, but for Malachai and his fears she had time. She was not much different from him, such anger was not uncommon to her. She felt a need to watch over him, and so would do so, even if she herself was not all together.


@andujarprime

 

[Lioness075]

Upon hearing the mention of healers, Luness muttered under her breath, "No dragon is healing me. I'm fine anyhow."


She then followed after Alexander, as he led the group out of the elder chambers and back outside near where the airship was still docked.


Looking around, Luness wondered what to do next. She didn't need healing...


Then again, as Luness looked down at her paws and the dried dragon blood on her claws and pads. She no doubt had some on her muzzle as well.


Deciding to clean herself up for now, Luness walked past the group and up the gangway before she began to cross the deck with the intent of finding the nearest washroom.

 

[zCrookedz]

Leo nodded to the elder dragon in gratitude for answering his questions. Random flocks of the dragons was much more worrisome as an attack could come whenever they felt like it. He watched as Luness went to find her own way and some of the others dispersed to different areas while they made their preparations to leave. He sighed, this mission was already becoming much more hostile. He watched as Nyr pick something off the ship and head off in a hurry. He headed off in the direction that he watched her go but stopped as he reached the boat. He did not want to be overbearing and was sure she didn't want him hovering around her all the time. He sighed unsure of what he could do for the time before they left so decided to simply admire the architecture of the dragons home a bit more in detail. He began to look around that the outside of the room that they had been ushered into and then walked the halls, his head turning slowly in all direction as he looked over the magnificent carvings in the rock.

 

[SilverFlight]

Ward shifted as he listened to the speech.


"We should rest once we are at the clan you spoke of. Then Anya can try and track the eggs that were recently stolen. perhaps we can get to them before they are taken too far."


This may mean splitting up, but if it was the best chance as saving the young dragons then so be it.


"Is this clan far?"


Not too far. A new dragon approached them, careful to avoid the werecat with his mind speech. His scales were a rich yellow colour, that glinted metallic gold, even while the sun was blocked with cloud. His voice was light and pleasant, as was his armoured face, compared to the elders at least. He shrank into his human form to speak to them properly. A young boy of about 16 or 17, with white, loose clothes and a pleasant smile.


"I will lead your ship to a safe place to dock. You can call me Topaz."


Topaz was not large for a dragon, evidently young, probably just a little younger than Alexander. His bright eyes betrayed the naivete of youth and he also seemed more than a little fascinated with the visitors.


"I've never really seen an outsider before." He admitted sheepishly, "You have to tell me what the rest of FableWood is like."


He made his way to the ship, changing back to a dragon and spreading his light, sun-yellow wings, ready to take off.


Lucille nodded from the deck of the Tenacity and ordered the ship to prepare for take-off.


Leia resigned herself to travel aboard the ship. At least she had managed to help persuade the dragons to let them help.


Ward made sure to round up the rest of the group and return them to the ship. There would be plenty of time to explore once they had a safe, out-of-the-way place to dock.


The flight to the clan's dwelling was a short one; nestled between two small peaks, with the pine forest trailing down the mountainside just by the caves.


A large outcrop permitted the Tenacity to dock safely.


Topaz landed beside it.


We'd better speak to the clan leaders. They know you're here, but...not what the elders have decided yet...I'd better talk to them first. With that he left them with their ship. Leia looked over the bow and could see tiny glinting eyes peering out of the cave's gloom.


"Aw!! Baby dragons!"

Spoiler

((I'll leave the detailed place description to @Hel and @andujarprime, sorry for the lame post...its late...plus writer's block.))

 

[Flutterby]

Quincy listened closely, making sure to focus on the information now that they had been accepted. She cautiously took Alexander's hand, running her thumb back and forth across his skin slowly in a comforting gesture. She wasnt sure how he was feeling- his face never did show much. She figured he may be purposely hiding his emotions in the presence of the elders, but in the case he needed reassurance, she gave it silently and without it being requested. As they left the chamber, she dared to look back over her shoulder, catching a final glimpse of the magnificent elders. Once outside, she relaxed a little, and turned her gray gaze to him, trying to determine what he was thinking. As they landed at the new clan's place, she gazed around enthusiastically. "Is this your home?" Quincy asked him quietly as Topaz sped away.


(edited)


@Hel

 

[Lioness075]

Luness came back to the deck of the Tenacity after having washed the dragon blood off of herself.


Reaching the deck, Luness soon joined the group in admiring the view.


Upon seeing a sunlight-colored dragon leading the way, Luness walked over to the edge of the group and then asked out loud, "Who's the dragon leading us?"

 

[Bea Delaine]

Elena Followed the newer Dragon back to the ship, probably not as tuned into this debriefing as she should be. She briefly contemplated how everyone here had a stone related name. Maybe it was their culture?On the airship, she barely remembered the flight. The only thing that was really on her mind was stress relief. She wanted to hit something with a face. Her eyes found the pine trees and she smiled a bit, turning to ask anyone who would listen,


"Are most of you planning to take some down time before we go on our mission..?"


A little hope was audible in her voice, not to rest, but to train. She hadnt done so in a little while after all.

 

[Hel]

Alexander had led the others back to the ship, and almost said something to Luness's grumbling. He boarded the ship too, however, but only after going to fetch Leo, who seemed to have wandered of deeper into the caves. When he found Leo, he had told him, "Be careful, you never know what secrets you could accidentally unearth here. I suspect even the elders don't know everything about this place- if the legends hold true, I mean." Alex had smiled after that, then he had told Leo that they were leaving, and headed back to the Tenacity, taking his place at Quicy's side again.


On board, Alex smiled and greeted Topaz, who seemed to be his age. "Ah, you are from our clan as well?" Alexander asked the boy, a curious look on his face. However, they then headed along the sky. the mountains near where Alexander and Malachai's clan were nested shrank away compared to the enormity of the volcano where the city had been.


The place where the Tenacity landed featured a large river cutting the clan's nesting ground in two, a short ways down the river was another large rock sporting a cave where the elder from Alexander's and Malachai's clan and his family lived. This rock split the river in two, and on the other side were a water falls, and the rushing of water could be held even there.


On either side of the river were forested land and rockey walls where the nests and homes for the dragons were contained. A couple seemed guarded at all times, these were the ones with eggs and small children.


Alexander stayed clear of the waterfalls.


"I intend to see if my brother wants to come with me to find Selene." Alexander said, then, remembering Quincy's reaction to Sapphire, he thought to explain. "She is our sister. We haven't seen her since the attack, neither of us ever returned... Perhaps afterwards I could see if one of the little dragons wanted to come out to play with you guys?" The last bit Alexander said with a laugh, and a smile. Being here for the first time in so long made him realize how homesick he was.


@andujarprime @Bea Delaine


Anya stared around at the landscape in awe- it was beautiful! She jumped off of the ship and stretched out. Stepping over to the stream, Anya crouched and saw a school of fairly large salmon swimming off towards the waterfall undoubtably in a hurry to get away from the dragon clan they swam through. She rocked back on her heels, amused, and then stood back up.


"This place is much friendlier than the last. I could see why you would want to live here." Then she heard the mention of baby dragons and perked up. That she was interested in.

Spoiler

(There are caves scattered throughout the rocks and such for nests, and a larger clearing behind where the picture was taken. Also... lolz dragon age pic. Get it?)

 

[Flutterby]

Quincy eyes were glued to the river and waterfalls, sparkling lightly at the thought of diving into them. If it was allowed, of course. The land was obviously an ancient one, so she didnt want to disrespect any of its customs, even if they kept her from swimming. She only tore her gaze away at the mention of another dragon, the name obviously feminine. But her sharp glance at him was met with an explanation, and she relaxed considerably. "The two of you must be anxious to see your family." She commented, a small, false smile fixed onto her features. Even here, away from Ashley and her child, she wasnt escaping the idea of family.


But she couldnt dwell on it long, because Alexander smiled and laughed. Staring at him now with a real (if not a little shocked) smile, she tried to remember if she had ever heard him actually laugh as he just had. The kelpie didnt think so, perhaps a chuckle, but that was a truly happy laugh. He doesnt laugh around you, only other dragons. What does that tell you, dearest? Lorence asked her in a sickly sweet and pitying tone, causing the briefest of frowns to flit over her face before she hid it, smiling at Alexander as if everything was right in the world, because perhaps for him, everything was.


@Hel